certbot README

The project's README from github.com/certbot/certbot. As one markdown file: README.md.

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|build-status|

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Certbot is part of EFF’s effort to encrypt the entire Internet. Secure communication over the Web relies on HTTPS, which requires the use of a digital certificate that lets browsers verify the identity of web servers (e.g., is that really google.com?). Web servers obtain their certificates from trusted third parties called certificate authorities (CAs). Certbot is an easy-to-use client that fetches a certificate from Let’s Encrypt—an open certificate authority launched by the EFF, Mozilla, and others—and deploys it to a web server.

Anyone who has gone through the trouble of setting up a secure website knows what a hassle getting and maintaining a certificate is. Certbot and Let’s Encrypt can automate away the pain and let you turn on and manage HTTPS with simple commands. Using Certbot and Let's Encrypt is free.

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Getting Started

The best way to get started is to use our interactive guide <https://certbot.eff.org>. It generates instructions based on your configuration settings. In most cases, you’ll need root or administrator access <https://certbot.eff.org/faq/#does-certbot-require-root-administrator-privileges> to your web server to run Certbot.

Certbot is meant to be run directly on your web server on the command line, not on your personal computer. If you’re using a hosted service and don’t have direct access to your web server, you might not be able to use Certbot. Check with your hosting provider for documentation about uploading certificates or using certificates issued by Let’s Encrypt.

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to this project please read Developer Guide <https://certbot.eff.org/docs/contributing.html>_.

This project is governed by EFF's Public Projects Code of Conduct <https://www.eff.org/pages/eppcode>_.

Links

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Documentation: https://certbot.eff.org/docs

Software project: https://github.com/certbot/certbot

Changelog: https://github.com/certbot/certbot/blob/main/certbot/CHANGELOG.md

For Contributors: https://certbot.eff.org/docs/contributing.html

For Users: https://certbot.eff.org/docs/using.html

Main Website: https://certbot.eff.org

Let's Encrypt Website: https://letsencrypt.org

Community: https://community.letsencrypt.org

ACME spec: RFC 8555 <https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8555>_

ACME working area in github (archived): https://github.com/ietf-wg-acme/acme

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Current Features

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Thanks

We appreciate the donation of credits to help us test and develop Certbot from:

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certbot (certbot/certbot)

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33.3K ·GitHub
Certbot
What is this?Certbot is EFF's command-line tool that automatically fetches a free TLS certificate from Let's Encrypt and deploys it to your web server to enable HTTPS, and it can also work with any other certificate authority that speaks the ACME protocol.
Is this a library I import, or a command-line program?It is a command-line client you run directly on your server; it is not a library you integrate into application code.
How do I get it running on my server?Start with Certbot's interactive instructions page, which asks for your web server and OS and gives you the exact install and run commands; the typical command is `certbot certonly` or `certbot run` to automatically request and install a certificate.
Do I need to configure Apache or Nginx myself first?No - Certbot includes plugins that can automatically edit your Apache or Nginx configuration and set up an HTTPS redirect for you; it can also run in standalone mode without touching an existing server config.
Does Certbot automatically change my server config, and can I undo that?Yes, Certbot can modify your web server's configuration to enable HTTPS automatically, but every configuration change it makes is logged and can be reverted.
What operating systems does Certbot run on?Certbot is built as a Python command-line tool that targets Linux servers; the project also publishes Docker images and Snap packages for easier installation across distros.
Can Certbot get certificates from CAs other than Let's Encrypt?Yes - because Certbot speaks the standard ACME protocol, it can act as a client for any other certificate authority that supports ACME, not just Let's Encrypt.
Will my certificates renew automatically?Certbot is built to fully automate certificate issuance and renewal along with the HTTPS redirect setup, so once configured it keeps your site's certificates current without manual steps.
Does using Certbot cost anything?No, using Certbot together with Let's Encrypt to get and manage HTTPS certificates is completely free.
Why use Certbot instead of requesting a certificate manually?Certbot replaces the manual, error-prone process of requesting, installing, and renewing a TLS certificate with a few simple commands, handling server configuration and renewal automatically.
What are similar projects?acme.sh, cert-manager, nginxconfig.io, openssl, vps-security-enhancement-scripts, nodelume, mailcow-dockerized, httpx
Which topics is it in?ssl-certificate, acme, certificate, letsencrypt, https, cryptography, tls, sysadmin, encryption, devops, networking, command-line-tool
Creator
certbot
Size
74 MB
Stars
33.3K
Updated
CommitOct 15Releasev5.8.0Sep 01
Age
11y
Commits · 90 Days